One of the main elements you will encounter while listening to Hegelian Dialect: The Book of Revelations is the use of samples from documentaries and educational sound clips. The pieces are etched into the music at just the right time allowing you to reflect on what Prodigy is attempting to potray to the listener with the first sample foreshadowing what is in store right at the get-go. After a short exclamation about being aware of psycological and spiritual warfare the audience is wisped into a folklore-ish gaelic tune that is reminiscent of a Led Zeppelin/Robert Plant song. The rythm stays consistant while Prodigy works his wordplay blending symbolic mentions with the street slang that made him a rap legend. His flow is clean as expected from a hip-hop artist with his experience yet he makes it sound effortless well beyond his previous songs. The tone moves darker to a gritty jazz piano beat where Prodigy continues finessing lyrical magic this time using a story telling approach highlighting differences in life and music between the past and today. As the listener approaches the 10 minute mark it is easy to discern that this album was not created with the intention to make a pop selling song or club banger but rather to display a movie drama through audio. The songs are seamlessly blended to where you can hardly recognize where one song started and the next began. Smooth transitions showcase the rappers beat selection pointing to a clear vision that he knew exactly how he wanted this album to sound.
Prodigy does not shy around any topic he has chosen to include in his music often expressing his militant opinon of staying prepared for any situation and in fact, to expect conflict and oppresion without delusion or ignorance. His lyricism is straight to the point and garnished with punchlines that almost always hit the mark in a timely moment, something other rappers should study. He does not over saturate the rhymes with subpar wordplay but rather uses his typical street talk style to lull the listener into a well placed metaphor for the wrap up. The marriage of instrumentals and rhymes is personified in the tracks As If and Good Fight , sounding like they are tracks that could've been made for older Mobb Deep albums from the 90's. The songs bring back the vibe of being able to ride through the city in your car deep in thought. Prodigy compliments the music speaking on why he is not impressed much with new releases from his peers and how they could perhaps improve not only their own lyrics but society in general. The atmosphere stays consistant during the rest of the album and culminates with a mellow chillout vibe that features another rapper, the only track featuring a different artist, Cash Bilz. The song is a soul searching track that explores the emotion within a person going through struggle in life and what ends one must go to but staying level headed and hopeful.
It is interesting to note Prodigy passed away 6 months after the release of Hegelian Dialect, not before. I state this because the short length of the album would make someone falsely believe he may not have properly finished the album but the phrase "less is sometimes more" could definitely be applied in this instance. The musical cohesion within the collection of songs is deeply satisfying and the feel of the dark synthesizers bring the nostalgia of a hip-hop era passed. The album is appealing to listeners who are not familiar with Prodigy or his Illuminati theory because he does not bash you with paranoid facts and dates or names, only lyrics spoken with conviction and a touch of rap skill. Hegelian Dialect is worth listening to if you are seeking an audio experience outside the norms of radio hip-hop and deserves to be recognized as a memorable release from one of the pioneers of rap music.